


Love Abides in The Face of Everything

by spacegirluwu



Category: Doctor Who, Thasmin - Fandom
Genre: Cute, Drama, F/F, Graham O'Brien - Freeform, History, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, LGBT, Lgbtq+ Relationship, Love, Romance, Ryan Sinclair - Freeform, Thirteenth Doctor/Yasmin Khan - Freeform, doctor who - Freeform, lgbtq+, thasmin, thirteenth doctor - Freeform, yasmin khan - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-09-21 12:24:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17043680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacegirluwu/pseuds/spacegirluwu
Summary: Team TARDIS find themselves in 1960's East End London where they encounter a new friend who's life is a daily struggle underneath the surface. What the team don't know is that this person and their situation will affect their own lives in some way... especially for The Doctor and Yaz.





	1. Prelude

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic eeek! I got the inspiration for this from an episode of Call The Midwife. I hope you like it :)

"I swear you choose the most random times to do what ya like.. honestly!"

As usual, the TARDIS was in complete chaos. The team were holding onto the console for dear life, each of them most likely thinking the exact same thing..how does she still not know how to control this ship. After a few hectic sprints around the console and some tweaking of the controls from The Doctor, the TARDIS finally fell still and the welcoming low hum settled the teams nerves. 

"You'd think we'd be used to the crazy flight by now, but i still get nervous every time" Graham let go of the console, sighing with relief.

 

"Nervous?! You should feel excited! That crazy flight always leads you to new adventures.. adventures no ordinary plane could ever take you" The Doctor walked past Graham, giving him the 'excuse me a thank you would suffice' face. The Doctor made her way to the other side of the console to locate where the TARDIS had stubbornly insisted on taking them. 

Although all three of The Doctor's friends had the curiosity and enthusiasm required to travel with The Doctor, Yaz certainly had that and more. For as long as she could remember, she craved the trill and adrenaline of adventure. Thinking becoming a police officer would be the challenging yet life changing experience she could gain.. her time with The Doctor definitely proved her wrong. Yaz found herself naturally drawn to The Doctor, her beautiful ghost monument and the adventures they both bring. She was almost always the first person by The Doctors side to find out where they had ended up. Except for the one time when The Doctor shouted at the TARDIS for randomly taking them to a McDonald's in which case Graham was the first by The Doctor's side, begging her to let him go and get a meal. 

"So, where are we Doctor?" 

"Uhhh lemme have a lookie"

There it was, Yaz thought... there's that adorable scronch face.

"Ah hah! London, 1961" 

Ryan felt intrigued "1961, London? Wonder what that was like"

The Doctor looked towards her team "Wanna go find out?"

The team looked at each other, smiled ad nodded back at The Doctor. In return, The Doctor gave them an enthusiastic smile and practically skipped passed them and towards the door of the TARDIS.

"Remember, no int-"

"No interfering" The team interrupted her. 

"Brilliant. Come on, fam!" 

Little did they all know, their next adventure would affect all of their lives in some way.


	2. A New Friend

The team stepped out of the TARDIS to find themselves in an alley, surrounded by litter and metal bins filled with rotting scrap food some tipped over with rats and birds picking through the scraps. Washing lines hung above them with clothing draped over them attaching to both buildings sheltering the alley. Ryan observed these whilst walking down the alley and tripped over one of the metal bins laid out on the ground, making a loud noise that echoed through the alley.

"You alright mate? Didn't see that big shiny metal bin right in front of ya?" Graham helped Ryan to his feet. Trying hard not to let out a giggle.

"Ha Ha. Very funny. I was looking at the washing lines actually.. never seen washing lines like that before"

"Feels very nostalgic for me, even the smell reminds me of my childhood.. was a lot of air pollution back then"

"Still is now.. but i suppose it's at least much cleaner now maybe"

The Doctor walked on ahead, with Yaz not far behind her. Yaz always wanted to be right behind The Doctor during their travels, needing to know anything and everything about The Doctor's findings on their new adventures. Yaz had always had a curious mind, she was always the child to cause chaos and distress by wondering off during family days out at the park or that one time at a zoo during a friends birthday party when she was 6 where the entire zoo went on lockdown to search for her and eventually zoo staff found her in the 'Newborn Centre' admiring all of eggs under heat lamps just waiting for them to hatch.. she would've waited there all day and night if she could. Yaz saw a lot of this side of her in The Doctor, in fact that very story would be right up The Doctor's extremely long list of fascinating stories. Yaz had felt the need to pack in her ever growing curiosity when her Grandfather fell ill. She realised she had to mature quickly, being the eldest daughter and all, with her Nani and parents feeling the stress of caring for her Granddad. After he passed away, not long before Yaz's final exams, Yaz knew she had to focus on getting a good job to provide for her family. She studied public services in college and studied criminology at a University close to home whilst having an evening and weekend job in a supermarket. Once she graduated she immediately applied to become a Police Officer. Although Yaz enjoys being a Police Officer and is getting a decent pay to of finally helped out her family, she doesn't feel as though she is gaining from the job as a person. Travelling with The Doctor has provided more adventures, more adrenaline, more love for the universe.. for people.. but most of all it has allowed that curiosity she has been holding back for so long to finally express itself. Yaz didn't need to worry about hiding her curiosity as The Doctor was just as curious.. if not more.. than her. Yaz felt as though she didn't have to hide herself from The Doctor, she felt free. 

Yaz's thoughts were interrupted by the of noise of The Doctor waving her sonic around, trying to get a reading on anything being out of the ordinary here.

"We don't want a repeat of Montgomery, Alabama now do we"

The Doctor continued to wave her sonic around when she turned to face the gang.

"Deep breath" 

The team took a deep breath in, scrunching their faces and closing their eyes praying the sonic would give them the all clear. The Doctor opened one eye to look at the reading. 

"Well?" Graham said without releasing too much of his deep breath in order not to jinx anything.

The Doctor stayed quiet. Very unusual for the gang to not hear at least a sigh from The Doctor. They all opened their eyes, still scrunching their faces. The Doctor was gone. Yaz instantly panicked. Before any of them had the chance to frantically look around for The Doctor...

"PTING!"

They all jumped... Ryan screamed. They turned around, panting from the sudden scare, to find The Doctor giggling. They all let out a sigh and gave The Doctor an annoyed look.

"Sorry i just had to, were in the clear by the way.. let's go explore!"

The Doctor continued on, stroking Yaz's arm as she passed her giving her a dorky smile. Yaz couldn't help but roll her eyes, let out a sigh and smile as she wasted no time in following The Doctor to the end of the alley. They got to the end of the alley and onto the streets to find it was extremely quiet, with it being daylight and London. Not a person in sight. 

"Hmm this is a bit odd, not like London to be quiet. Come on lets wonder down the street maybe theres a huge street party going on they used to do that a lot here, good fun! Went to one once.. don't remember most of it but i do remember lots of cake!"

The team walked down the street finding themselves in what seemed to be the 'party end of the city' with pubs and some night bars lining the street. Again.. very unusually quiet. The Doctor frowned.

"Okay now this is REALLY weird.. theres not even any music playing"

Yaz stood next the The Doctor.

"So.. where is everyone?"

And suddenly the distant noise of shouting and screaming and Police whistles were heard. The team ran through the streets closer to the chaos when they turned a corner and found what seemed like almost every resident of the East End was crowded around rioting, throwing rocks and food in the same direction and Police officers struggling to keep them from all running towards whatever it was they were angry with. The Doctor found a bin against a wall and climbed on top of it to be able to safely look over the huge crowd, holding on to a window seal. 

"Do you see anything Doc? Whats got them all this angry?" Graham shouted up to her.

The Doctor frowned in confusion, not completely understanding what is happening.

"Doctor?! What is it?!" Ryan called up to her.

"Not a what.. a who" 

The team shared the same confused frown as The Doctor now. What could one person do to cause this much upset? A man was secured by the Police and put into the back of a Police van. The crowd then suddenly over ruled the Police and made their way to the van, shaking it and hitting it and shouting awful things aimed at the man in the van.. "WRONG'N!", "PERV!", "HANG HIM!" followed by more. The Doctor, still stood on the bin and still confused at the situation, was suddenly struggling to avoid falling after a group of children ran past pushing into the bin to avoid running into other people. The bin then fell beneath her feet and she almost fell to the ground when a hand reached out from the window The Doctor was holding on to and grabbed her hand, helping her keep her balance. 

"Oh thanks! Wouldn't of been very fun being trampled into the cobbles by angry East Enders" The Doctor looked up at the window. "Do you know whats going on here? We just got to London and wasn't quite expecting it to be this crazy"

"Come inside.. now"

The Doctor frowned and looked at her gang, who shared the same expression. 

"Please.. i'll explain it all just.. come in where it's safer to talk"

The person shut the window and opened the front door.. a young woman.. clearly distressed.. appeared at the doorway allowing room for the team to enter. The Doctor gave her gang another look, this time a more serious one, when the crowd began to increase in chaos. The team wasted no time in entering the young woman's house in order to be safe. The woman shut the door and attached the lock in a flash. She turned to look at the strangers she just invited into her home.

"Please.. come through.. make yourself at home.. i'll make some tea" The woman lead the team into the living room, then exited to the kitchen. Graham and Ryan wasted no time in sitting on the sofa, sighing as soon as they sat down. The Doctor and Yaz stayed standing, looking around the room at the antiques and photographs around the cosy living room. Photographs of the young woman and what appeared to be her family where set up on the mantel piece above the fire place. Yaz found herself by the big piano in the corner of the room. Ryan looked out of the same window the woman was speaking to them from to observe the chaos outside.

"Doctor, why would she feel the need to invite a bunch of strangers into her house? I mean look at what it's like out there right now.. i wouldn't be in a hurry to let some strangers in my house if there was a riot going on out there" 

"Not sure, maybe things are that bad that people are looking for help wherever they can.. risking it just to find some kindness"

The young woman entered the living room carrying a tray with a tea pot, some tea cups, small plates and a small plate of fig rolls. She set it down on the coffee table in the middle of the room, setting out the plates and cups and pouring the tea in them. 

"Please help yourselves.. you must've had quite a shock finding yourself in the middle of all that.. especially seen as you've only just got 'ere"

The team collected their teas and took a fig roll each. Yaz and Ryan took a bite of their fig rolls and immediately scrunched their faces and placed them back on their plates. Graham however hoovered his fig roll down and The Doctor.. she didn't even attempt to eat hers after all her favourite food to accompany a cuppa was of course.. a custard cream. Adorable.. Yaz thought.

"My names Robyn by the way, i'd say welcome to the East End but it's not exactly a warm welcome"

"I dunno.. being offered a cuppa and a fig roll is on the top of my list of a warm welcome" Graham said, taking Ryan's fig roll from his plate and eating it. 

"Yes, thank you Robyn this is lovely. I'm The Doctor and these are my friends Ryan, Graham.. and Yaz. So whats with all the ruckus outside then?" The Doctor took a sip from her tea.

Robyn instantly had that same distressed look on her face as she did before. The Doctor noticed this and placed her cup on the coffee table.

"Are you okay?" 

Robyn sat in the chair and buried her head in her hands. Yaz placed her cup on the coffee table and sat next to Robyn, placing her hand on her back and comforting her. The Doctor made her way over to them and knelt down in front of Robyn.

"Robyn? Whats wrong?"

Robyn looked up at The Doctor, her eyes filled with tears. 

"Tell us Robyn, please. We'll do everything we can to help"

Robyn looked almost hopeful and ready to share with the kind strangers she invited into her house. She shook her head and ran her finger through her hair. Sighing in exhaustion. Robyn placed her hand on her knee. The Doctor instantly placing her hand on top of Robyn's.

"Please.. let us help you"

Robyn looked into The Doctors eyes and her sad expression shifted to calm. Robyn took a deep breath and sighed.

"The man.. that was arrested.. that everyone was so angry at.. he was arrested for moral indecency"

"What does that mean?" Ryan asked seeming to be the only one in the room that was confused.

The Doctor closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"It means he was caught with another man" 

The room fell silent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to add that 'PTING' in there tbh xD Sorry if this chapter is kinda slow burning but i'm not wanting to rush anything :)


	3. New Year... Same    Hardship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will contain some violence and descriptions of hate crimes. Please be prepared to read/do not read if either of these upset you or trigger you.

The room stayed quiet and after a while, the crowd outside seemed to of dispersed and calmed down. Ryan was the first to speak.

"I'm confused. Is that a bad thing?"

Robyn looked at Ryan with wide eyes after staring at the photo of her and her family on the mantel piece for quite some time. She looked confused.

"What'd ya mean?! Of course it is! I mean have you seen many men walkin round holding another man's hand?"

"Yeah, I even have a mate thats gay. Granted you don't see it as often as you'd see a man and woman holding hands, but it's becoming more of an everyday thing to see. It's even celebrated more"

Robyn's expression changed from confused to shocked. The Doctor noticed how Robyn's eyes seemed to brighten up and grew wider, almost like a child who has just been told they were going to disneyland. Except this had a deeper meaning with Robyn, The Doctor was sure of it. 

"Are.. are ya being serious?"

Then before Ryan could answer, Robyn's face dropped and she looked as though she had been forced back into reality.

"Ya lyin. That would never happen. Not here. Didn't ya see them people out there? Thats what happens round here"

Before anyone could argue back, Robyn gets up, leaves the room and runs up the stairs. Yaz goes to follow her but The Doctor grabs her arm. 

"I think she may need a moment alone Yaz. She'll come back when she's ready"

She gives Yaz a small but sad smile. Yaz returns one and sits back down. The Doctor joins her. Ryan puts his head in his hand.

"I didn't mean to upset her. I just wanted her to know that things like that get better"

The Doctor moved to the edge of her seat and leaned towards him and places her hand on his shoulder.

"I know Ryan. But dy'know what you gave her?"

Ryan looked up at her, confused.

"Hope. Hope Ryan. I saw it in her eyes. Only small for now but as strong as ever with definite signs of progression. And now, because of you, that hope has that light to continue forward"

Ryan looked at her and smiled, his eyes gleaming from the tears that were originally through anger aimed towards himself.. now through happiness. The Doctor smiled back at him and shifted back into her seat and looked at Yaz, with a bigger smile this time with more happiness and determination. Yaz felt her heart flutter. This smile normally meant one thing Yaz thought... The Doctor has her heart, or more her two hearts, set.. set on helping Robyn with all she's got.

Robyn makes her way down the stairs and enters the living room. The Doctor and Yaz immediately stand up. Yaz walks towards Robyn.

"How are you feeling, Robyn?"

"I'm okay now, sorry i just needed a minute"

Ryan stands up.

"No, i'm sorry. I'm sorry if upset you in any way"

"No ya don't need to be sorry at all"

The both smile at each other. Robyn lets out a big sigh and walks into the middle of the room.

"I haven't really help put you all in the New Year's mood have i? Let me go put something nice on and i'll take you all out"

"New Years?" They all said in sync.

"Yeah, they're putting on a fireworks display by the harbour soon.. the biggest one yet they say!"

Robyn gets changed and they all leave. They get to the harbour side with enough time to be able to purchase a sparkler each. A carousel lit up the usually pitch black harbour, a golden glow bringing the sight of fishing boats and barrels lining the edge of the harbour side the locals had placed for safety. Robyn, Yaz and Ryan stood in the line for the carousel. The Doctor decided to avoid the carousel, after a bad experience after having a few drinks and leaving a trail of sick around the floor of the carousel. Graham also decided not go on the carousel and found this opportunity to speak with The Doctor. 

"Doc, can i have a word?"

"Course. You okay Graham? Only you were pretty quiet at Robyn's house"

"Yeah thats actually what i wanted to talk about"

The Doctor noticed Graham's stern expression and returned it with a confused one.

"Doc, i'm gonna be straight with ya. I'm from this generation. What happened to that lad back there, it happened a few times when i was growing up. I grew up around people that took a disliking to people like that lad."

The Doctor noticed Graham's expression change into a guilty one. Graham cleared his throat as though he had a lump in it and looked down at the ground.

"Graham?" 

"Doc, when i was a young lad.. i was like those people in that crowd. I treated another young lad.. a lad that lived on my street.. a lad i grew up with.. a lad that was my best friend for the majority of my childhood.. Richard Evans.. Rich.. just like those people treated that lad today"

The Doctor looked shocked. Graham O'Brien.. her friend.. behaved just like those people in that crowd towards another human. She found it shocking, knowing Graham as this very lovely human being that protected more than he harmed.

"I know Doc, I know. But i was young, very naive. Followed the crowd a lot. Even though thats no excuse for what i did. You see when we got into secondary school me and Rich grew apart, finding new friends and fitting in with seperate crowds. Rich was very bright you see he starting hanging out with like minded people, the nerds we called them, where as the popular lads seemed to like me and i looked up to them seeing as they were two years older than me but i was very cool for my age they said.. so i became a part of their group. They seemed to take a big disliking to the nerds and over time, their focus became purely on Rich. Rich got his hair cut and came to school the next and everyone taunted him because of it. Saying he looked like a "Wrong'n" and "one of them 'frilly' types". Kids were that cruel back then, maybe even still now. Anyway one day all the lads were getting changed for P.E. and Edward Bennett, Ed who was the group leader, accused Rich of looking at him whilst he was changing. All the lads started taunting Rich.. I didn't at first.. but Ed nudged me as if to egg me on.. so i joined in. Ignoring Rich's obvious silent begs for me to stop and help him. From then on.. Rich was known as the "wrong'n of the school". One day, i came back to school after being off ill for a few days and didn't see Rich. Later that day when i returned home.. i saw a police car outside of Rich's house across the street from me. The next day.. we found out Rich had runaway from home.. they found him in the river a few miles from home that evening"

The Doctor was speechless. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

"I've lived with that guilt of what i did to Rich. If i stepped up and helped him.. Rich.. the lovely lad i used to play footie with on the green.. the friend that was always there to listen when i'd had an argument with me dad.. the lad with bright ginger hair that when we were small we used to say his hair was his superpower of fire.. the lad that was prepared to forgive me and i never gave him that chance to. I'll never forgive myself for it. And from that day.. i swore i would never treat another human like that again.. that i would go by my own instincts with people.. with life. All of this today has brought back a lot of awful memories.. i know there isn't anything we can do for that poor lad from today.. but we can do something to help others and thats what my time with you has allowed me to be a part of and although i can't take back what happened with Rich.. i can help prevent similar things or other things happening just by simply being there for someone and offering them a listening ear.. i can follow Rich's steps in being a more kind and caring person"

The Doctor's eyes filled with tears, she took a big sigh and looked directly at Graham.

"Graham O'Brien. You are the strongest person i know. Well.. one of a few. And i strongly believe that Rich.. forgives you. You are doing him proud.. living on in his spirit and following his example in life. You're carrying him with you"

The both smiled at each other. The others came to join them just in time for the firework display. They stand with the crowd watching the beautiful display of fireworks bringing in the new year. Yaz moves to stand next to The Doctor. She looks at The Doctor and notices the tears still in her eyes just before it goes dark from the lack of fireworks lighting up the crowd. She immediately becomes worried.. but then as more fireworks are released.. her face is lit up again.. even brighter this time.. her lips curled into a beautiful smile.. her eyes as wide as ever with wonder.. the tears providing the perfect reflection to show their own firework display in them. What is she thinking about? She must've seen fireworks before.. loads of times.. what thoughts are this powerful to create this mesmerising view right before Yaz's very eyes? I so wish i could know her thoughts sometimes, Yaz thought. All the things she has seen.. experienced.. felt.. i haven't even touched the surface with this remarkable woman.. and i am so excited to find out more. The display ends and the majority of the crowd turn to head home for the night. Ryan, who was ahead of the others and seemed to be the most excited for the display out of them all, turned around to face the others.

"The was wicked! With it being 1961 in all" 

The others looked at him, all with beaming smiles, like a bunch of grown up's admiring a child's enthusiasm. Ryan's slowly dropped.

"Where's Robyn?"

They all immediately began looking around, trying to pick out Robyn from the moving crowd. 

"Wasn't she with you?" Yaz asked Ryan.

"No, i thought she was with you lot"

Yaz looked at The Doctor, she had a worried look on her face. Yaz at first thought Robyn is a big girl, she's probably just gone to the loo. But she then shared that same worried look as The Doctor. Remembering the events of earlier that day. If she did wonder off alone.. it wasn't safe for her to be alone. 

"Doctor" Yaz said worryingly.

"I know, Yaz" The Doctor placed her hand on Yaz's arm and gently squeezed, trying to give a reassuring look. 

"Come on, let's go find our new friend"

The gang find themselves wandering down a street that, once again, seems too quiet considering the amount of people that had just dispersed from the harbour side to return home for the evening. The team all shared the same feeling of deja vu relating the the events previous that day and their worry grew. Then the sound of scuffling came from an alley ahead. The team stop at the alley entrance. The Doctor stepped forward. 

"Be careful, Doctor" Yaz says.

"Who's there? Wondering if you can help us, we're looking for a friend of ours have you seen-"

The Doctor is cut off by the sound of a car engine starting and headlights lit blinding the team. The car speeds out of the alley towards them. Graham tackles Ryan out of the way of the oncoming car and Yaz pulls The Doctor out of the way of the car and pushes her against a wall, they felt air from the speeding car it drove so close to them. A. close. one. Yaz thought. 

"Everyone okay?" The Doctor says. 

The team nodded in return. Then the sound of more scuffling comes from the alley again. The Doctor moves in front of the team, sonic out at the ready.

"Stay behind me"

They move forward slowly. Yaz gets her phone out, ready to turn the torch on when they get closer to whoever.. or whatever.. is in the alley. They get closer to the noise and Yaz quickly switches on the torch, lighting up the being behind the noise. They all gasp in complete shock at the sight on the floor in front of them. A person. Completely battered and bruised. Their face almost completely unrecognisable from the blood covering their identity. The Doctor immediately kneels down to them. Close to tears. She pulls out a hanky chief. And slowly wipes their face, being careful to not put too much pressure on incase of increasing their pain.

"We're here, Robyn... we're here"

Robyn breaks down into tears. Completely drained, barely having the energy to be able to move, but moves forward to embrace The Doctor. The Doctor holds her. The others look on, all shaken at the sight before them. Their hearts aching for Robyn. 

"I'm... I'm so tired Doctor. I'm so tired"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cried a little when writing Graham's story. I didn't want to write it to make people angry at him at all. I wanted to show that even though some people grew up in the day and age that it was crime to be in a same-sex relationship and may've been brought up to believe you had to treat an lgbt person wrongly or that it was unnatural, to quote The Doctor, "we're all capable of the most incredible change". I learned that through my own personal experience, with my own coming out. Graham was the perfect character for this particular role i wanted in this story.


	4. Robyn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will contain some violence, descriptions of hate crimes and depression. Please be prepared/do not read if either of these upset you or trigger you.

"I just don't know what to do with her Charlotte.. She's slipping further and further away from me and i don't know how to bring her back"

Robyn had an average childhood. She made friends with the kids on her street and was out playing with them almost everyday. Her family went on a fair amount of camping holidays to Wales and Cornwall, beach days out and they even went on a family friends boat and sailed around the coast of Cornwall once. Her parents grew up in the countryside, city life wasn't their thing but it was what was best for their family. So they made sure their children would grow up with the countryside too. Robyn was the middle child. Born to Mavis and Patrick. She had an older sister, Bryony and a younger brother called Isaac. Growing up, Robyn was always alittle behind her peers. She struggled to learn things academically whilst her friends seemed to learn things perfectly fine right off of the bat. Practically though, Robyn only had to do something once and that was it she knew exactly what to do. Through primary school this worked well for her as most lessons involved practical work, secondary school however she struggled to keep up. She felt the same with her family also. Her parents were outgoing and confident, her siblings followed suit. Relatives and family friends would always say "Oh Bryony is so confident like her parents" and "Isaac surely has his dad's personality and his mum's curly hair". But no one say anything of the sort to Robyn. Robyn was not nearly as confident and outgoing. She found it hard to communicate with people the older she got. Even with her own family she struggled to hold conversations. On Isaac's 14th birthday, she over heard her aunties talking about her out in the garden whilst smoking.

"I just don't understand how Bryony and Isaac are doing so well, but Robyn isn't?"

"She used to be such a happy child.. but now it's like she's stuck in a shell"

Robyn didn't blame anyone for thinking like that, she didn't even understand herself why she felt so locked away. Robyn often thought of herself as being inside an invisible jail, everyone could see her locked up but couldn't help her to get out. Once Robyn moved into secondary school, all of her friends quickly found where they fit in, the people they fit in with. Robyn felt like she was being left behind and slowly after time, forgotten by her once best friends. After awhile, Robyn realised she needed to be different in order to fit in so she began acting differently and dressing differently and she finally fit in with a crowd. Although she had finally started to fit in and feel a part of her peer group and making friends, Robyn still felt so lonely. The only thing that kept her from giving up her act was Sarah, a new girl to the school that had started hanging out with Robyn's group. The only person Robyn felt she really got on well with. Not long after Sarah and Robyn began speaking, they would go to the sweet shop after school and hang out by the harbour side. Robyn felt happy when she was around Sarah, just the two of them. They both had similar interests and liked the same music. They grew closer and closer of time that Robyn started to let her guard down and almost felt the need to not pretend to be someone else anymore, even though Robyn wasn't aware of who she really was but she knew there was something that she felt she needed to hide away about herself. They would speak of their dreams of travel, going to the theatre together, going to concerts together and Robyn even promised Sarah that when they could drive they would go away to Wales to camp as Sarah had never been camping before. They would also be each others listening ear and shoulder to cry on. Time passed and the pair had turned 16 since coincidently their birthdays were only a few days a part, their families decided to throw them a big party on the street. The group they both hung out with arrived at the party. Sarah seemed to get on well with everyone and everyone that met Sarah liked her. Robyn was the opposite, she still found it hard to get on well with people and it was rare that people liked her since she was still so quiet and within herself. Once the group arrived, they surprised Sarah with a present they all pitched their pocket moneys in buy for her. A n Elvis Presley vinyl and some cornish fudge. Whilst they presented Sarah with her gift, Robyn was pushed out of the way. Robyn ran down the street in tears and made her way to the harbour side. It wasn't long until she was joined by Sarah who sat next to her.

"I'm sorry that happened Robyn. If they knew ya, i mean really knew ya then they would never treat you like this. They'd know what a kind, caring and hilarious person you are"

"And what if you don't really know me either?" Robyn looked down at the water. Refusing to look at her friend.

"What'd ya mean?" 

"Nothing, sorry i'm just.. i'm just talking rubbish"

Sarah looked at her friend, confused by what she may of meant. But if theres one thing she knew about Robyn, is that she needed time to reveal things. Even the small things Robyn seemed to keep bottled away, like Sarah had only found out just the other day that Robyn loves caramel. She knew Robyn would eventually tell her things, she just needed patience and someone who would listen. 

"Well in that case"

Robyn looked up at her. Sarah took something out of her purse. A small box. She gave it Robyn.

"Happy birthday, Robyn"

Robyn looked up at her, speechless. She had never been given a gift from a friend before. She opened the box. A bracelet. With two hearts, with 'R' and 'S' on each. A small note in the roof of the box reading 'To one of the best people i know'.

"Do you like it? It isn't very fancy i know"

Tears began streaming down Robyn's face and falling onto the ground. Sarah immediately became worried.

"Robyn? What's the matter?"

Robyn looked up at her once again, tears still streaming down her face. She smiled at Sarah. 

"This is the most beautiful gift anyone has ever given me"

Sarah smiled at her. 

"Really?"

Robyn nodded. Her smile suddenly dropped. Sarah become worried again. Robyn looked intently at her friend. 'No.. You are the most beautiful gift' she thought. Robyn began leaning in towards Sarah. Looking at her friends eyes, noticing the deep hazel colour was glowing from low glaring the sunset and it reminded her of caramel. Robyn looked from Sarah's lips, to her eyes, to her lips, to her eyes, to her lips... then... supernova. This feeling was extremely new to Robyn. Her heart was beating so much it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. She suddenly had a realisation of who she was kissing and where they were. Robyn went to pull back, even though she really didn't want to. But before their lips separated.. Robyn felt Sarah's hands placed on either side of her face.. pulling her back into the kiss. The kiss was deepened, Robyn wasn't entirely sure by who but she didn't waste time to think about it. She leaned forward even more, to the point where she was on top of Sarah. 'This is really happening, like really happening' Robyn thought. This was the happiest she had ever felt. Ever. 

"What on earth is going on here then?"

The pair immediately separated and looked up to find the group standing over them some looking shocked, most looking disgusted. Panic drowned Robyn in an instant. One of the lads, Robbie who had banged on all summer about how much he fancied Sarah, looked straight at Sarah. Robyn also looked at her. Sarah was absolutely petrified at the situation before her. She kept looking between the group and Robyn.

"Sarah" Robyn said lightly, as though she was trying to comfort her. 

"Shut it, filth! Don't you speak to her, after what you just did to her" Robbie shouted at Robyn. 

Sarah looked at Robyn, tears forming in her eyes. She looked up at Robbie who was looking intently at her, giving her a look of 'say the word and i'll fix it'. Robyn felt her heart sink. Sarah looked back to Robyn.

'It's okay... It'll be okay.. We can runaway together.. start over.. go travelling.. i'll take you to Wales like i promised.. we can be free.. together.. please" Robyn thought as she stared right into Sarah's eyes, telepathically pleading with the girl she realised she was in love with. 'This whole time.. this thing i was hiding.. was something so beautiful.. why did i need to hide it? Why is it such a bad thing? It can't be a bad thing.. not after that magical moment we had just shared'. Robyn was so distracted by this, that she hadn't realised Sarah had moved to stand with the others. The girls of the group comforting her. Whilst Robbie and the guys had their full attention on Robyn. Robyn looked at Sarah, confused as to what had just happened. She went to stand up when a fist was met with her face, knocking her back down to the ground. 

"You disgusting piece of filth! Always knew there was something up with ya"

Robyn opened her eyes to look directly at Sarah, who was still crying and being comforted by the girls. She looked as though she was desperate to help Robyn.. but she didn't help her. Instead Robyn was greeted by Robbie's hand grabbing her hair and pulling her to her knees. Blood ran down the side of her face from the punch. Robyn began wincing at the pain and tried to fight Robbie off. He was much stronger than her though, he kept his grip tight as he leaned down to Robyn's face.

"Don't you ever come near her again.. Don't ever show your face in this group ever again.. Or i will make you pay"

Robbie threw Robyn to the ground. He lead the group away. Robyn winced as she opened her eyes.. looking for Sarah.. just getting a glimpse of her looking at Robyn.. before she was gone. Robyn lay there.. she began crying.. not from her injuries.. from a pain that struck her like a knife.. heartbreak.

The next few years were the hardest of Robyn's life. She was glad that Robbie and the group hadn't told anyone about what happened between her and Sarah. Robyn was sure Sarah was the one to of convinced them not to. Robyn spent each day since that evening, waiting for Sarah to come back to her. 'She needed to do that that evening.. she had to get herself out of there.. she had to keep Robbie and the others from telling anyone.. she'll come back to me.. she will'. Robyn told herself this everyday, to keep her from completely breaking down.. to keep her strong. Until one day at school.. she over heard people talking about Robbie and Sarah now being together. Robyn didn't want to believe it.. she didn't believe it. Then she saw them.. in an alley on her way home from school.. the sight almost resembled the evening that had made Robyn the happiest she had ever been.. this then being the most broken she had ever been. Robyn had sunk into a deep depression, everyday she felt like giving up. One day she had planned to do just that when her mother had burst into her room, yelling that her father had had an accident and was at the hospital. With her mother now having to care for her father, her sister now living in America with her newly wedded husband and her brother being too young.. Robyn had to step up in being the primary intake for the family. She had to work multiple jobs, this drained her emotionally.. even more than before.. this then prevented her from ever giving up.. even though she still wanted to. She just worked, then slept, then worked, then slept.. she barely ate.. always claiming she didn't have enough time to her bickering mother.. really she just didn't have the strength to try and avoid a conversation with anyone. Robyn just grew more and more silent over time.

"I just don't know what to do with her Charlotte.. She's slipping further and further away from me and i don't know how to bring her back"

Mavis buried her head in her hand. Her friend leaned forward and placed her hand on Mavis's. 

"She's a teenage girl Mav, she's just going through a phase. They all go through it.. even i did!"

"But like this? This is something more than that, i just can't get her to ever speak a word to me let alone tell me what's wrong"

"She talk when she's ready, try not to worry yourself"

"Maybe you're right" Mavis sighed. 

"Dy'know what you all need? A holiday"

"Thats perfect!" Mavis's face lit up. 

Later that day Mavis proposed the idea of a family holiday to her family.. her husband now fit to travel agreed.. Isaac agreed, celebrating the fact he will get time off of school.. Robyn stayed silent.

"Robyn? What'd ya think? Like old times?"

Robyn looked up at her mother. Mavis looked for any sign of that light in Robyn's eyes that she used to get every time they planned a family holiday.. but she saw nothing but darkness.

"Robyn? Please?"

"I'll stay behind, we need to keep up with the rent" Robyn stood up and before Mavis could try to convince her.. she left the house to go to work. 

'I'm sorry mum.. I'm just too far gone now' Robyn thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter was difficult for me to write. I have based a fair amount of Robyn's story from my own. I felt like Robyn needed a chapter of her own to find out more about her before her journey with The Doctor and her fam continues. 
> 
> Let me know what you guys think so far! I'd love to know if people are enjoying this story :)


	5. Consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will contain some violence and descriptions of hate crimes. Please be prepared/do not read if either of these upset you or trigger you.

"Yaz, you and Graham stay her with Robyn. Me and Ryan will go and get the TARDIS, bring her here. I have medical supplies to help Robyn but she's too injured to walk all that way"

The Doctor looked at Robyn, she could see the exhaustion in her eyes. 

"We're going to help you Robyn. You're our friend and we won't leave you to go through this alone"

Robyn suddenly lit up. 'Friend..' Robyn thought. she nodded in response to The Doctor. The Doctor stood up and turned to make her journey back to the TARDIS when she felt Yaz's hand grab her arm. Yaz gave her a worried look. 

"Keep her safe. Keep yourselves safe. We'll be as quick as we can"

Yaz nodded. The Doctor placed her hand on top of Yaz's that was still squeezing her arm. The Doctor walked out of the alley with Ryan following closely behind. 

'Please stay safe' The Doctor thought. 

'Please be safe' Yaz thought. 

Yaz knelt down to Robyn. Graham offered to keep a look out in case the people that harmed Robyn would return. Yaz tended to one of Robyn's injuries on her arm with basic first aid training she had learned when training to be a police officer. 

"How do you know all of this?" Robyn said, wincing at the pain.

"Sorry! I learnt it whilst i was training to be a police officer. It's not much but it'll be okay for now until The Doctor and Ryan get back"

"A police officer? That's fantastic. Women have only just been allowed to become police officers here, where you all come from must've got in there earlier than the rest of us"

Yaz smiled at her. She finished tying a piece of fabric she had ripped from her shirt sleeve to try to stop the bleeding from the wound and sat to face Robyn. Robyn looked at her.

"Thank you. Can i ask you something?"

"Course you can"

"Have you always known you wanted to be a police officer?"

"I've always known i wanted to help people. I didn't always know i wanted to be a police officer, i thought about being a doctor at one point... but i couldn't deal with the gory stuff"

"Well you've been great today. I think you would've been a great doctor... but i can tell you're a fantastic police officer"

Robyn smiled at her, Yaz returned with a smile.

"What about you? What do you want to be?"

Robyn's face slowly dropped as she thought. 'Free' she thought. Yaz noticed this, but before she had the chance to ask if Robyn was okay Robyn changed the subject sharply.

"What's a TARDIS?"

"It's difficult to explain until you see it, but lets just say it's something that will blow your mind"

Robyn looked confused. Suddenly the familiar whoosh of the TARDIS filled the quiet air. Robyn became panicked at the sound. Then.. out of nowhere.. there it was.. a blue.. phone box?. Yaz looked at Robyn, excited to see her reaction.

"It's... a phone box.."

"Wait until you see whats inside"

The Doctor appeared and exited the TARDIS, Ryan following behind.

"Okay fam, lets get Robyn safe" 

Yaz, Graham and Ryan helped Robyn up, holding her so she only had to step lightly.

"We can't all fit in there... can we?"

They all smiled at her. The Doctor opened the doors, holding them open to allow the others to enter. Robyn's eyes adjusted to the brightness after being in the darkness for what seemed like forever. Even though it stung with the injury above her eye, she couldn't help but open her eyes wider than ever. The confusion seemed to disappear in an instant.. all Robyn felt was excited and surprisingly safe even though she had just entered a phone box that was extraordinarily bigger on the inside. The Doctor saw all of this emotion in Robyn's eyes. She smiled. Her hearts warm at the sight before her. 'Good work, girl' The Doctor thought to the TARDIS. 

"Sit here Robyn, i'll see to your wounds"

The team sat Robyn down gently. The Doctor scanned her injuries, noticing a bandage around her arm. The Doctor recognised the fabric. She looked up at Yaz. Yaz looked back at her and gave her a big smile. 'I am in awe of you Yasmin Khan' she thought. She stood and made her way to the console, tweaking a few controls and collecting her results. She brought them back to Robyn and began attending to her wounds. After a while, The Doctor began attending to Robyn's last injury above her eye. 

"This may sting a bit"

"It's okay"

She began stitching up the cut. Yaz watched closely, as she had with everything The Doctor was doing to try and learn as much as she can. She noticed a scar on Robyn's forehead above her other eye, almost in the exact place as the other one. The Doctor finished stitching and spotted the scar herself.

"Robyn, can i ask... where did you get that scar from?"

Robyn closed her eyes and her whole body went tense. The whole team just witnessed a physical representation of a persons heart sinking. The Doctor squeezed Robyn's uninjured arm. Robyn opened her eyes. Tears gleaming from the glows from the interior of the TARDIS. Robyn felt she could tell them. She felt safe. 'The Doctor said i was their friend.. that they would help me.. they want to help me.. i can tell them'. Robyn took a deep breath... and exhaled shakingly.

"This isn't the first time something like this has happened to me"

The team shared the same expressions of shock and worry. Yaz knelt down to Robyn.

"You've been attacked before tonight?"

"Yes"

"Do you know your attackers?"

"...Yes" Robyn rolled her head back and closed her eyes tightly.. desperately trying to hold back from breaking down into tears and screaming. "They are taking revenge on me for something i did years ago"

Yaz looked at The Doctor with worry and fear for Robyn. The Doctor shared the same look. The Doctor looked back at Robyn.

"What did you do, Robyn? Can you tell us? So we can help you?"

Robyn looked at The Doctor. Then to the rest of the team, meeting faces of kindness and compassion. 

"I... I... I was caught with another woman"

The team didn't hold their shocked expressions for long, instead they all looked at Robyn with even more compassion and it made Robyn feel even safer. They stayed silent, allowing Robyn to continue when she was ready. Robyn took another deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"Her name was Sarah. She was my best friend. Our parents threw us a big street party for our birthdays as they are so close together... just like we were. I got upset by these people from school and ran off. Sarah had followed me and we just sat at the harbour side together watching the sunset. She gave me a present.. it was a bracelet with our initials on it. I..." Robyn caught a lump in her throat before she continued. "... I wore it every day since that evening. But when they attacked me tonight they must've seen it on my wrist and they took it off... it's... it's gone.." She began shaking and before she could begin crying, Graham stepped towards Robyn. He dug something out of his pocket and presented it to her. Robyn's eyes grew wide again. She looked up at Graham, unable to get a word out to him.

"I found it on the floor in the alley, just before The Doc and Ryan showed up. I didn't take much notice to the initials... I was planning on giving it a clean and giving it to ya as it looked really nice" He gave it to Robyn. 

She looked at it. Then there they were... the tears. She couldn't hold them back anymore, once she'd seen the initials.

"She... She wrote a note in the box she gave this to me in... She said i was the best person she knew... I... I loved her... how could i of done that to her..."

"Done what, Robyn?" Yaz looked confused.

"You know... did what i did... if i hadn't none of this would've happened... we would still be in each others lives... she'd still want to be around me..."

Robyn broke down and buried her head in her hands. The Doctor lightly grabbed her wrists.

"You did nothing wrong Robyn... nothing at all"

Robyn looked up. Confusion written on her face.

"What'd ya mean? Of course i did something wrong! None of this..." Robyn gestured to her injured body. "... would've happen tonight or any of the the other times if i hadn't of done anything wrong!" Robyn became distressed. 

"What exactly was it that you did wrong then?" The Doctor responded more seriously than her previous calm responses. 

"Doctor" Yaz stepped in.

"Tell me Robyn... what do you think you did that was so wrong?" The Doctor said calmer this time.

"I... I..." Robyn struggled to find the right words.

"You fell in love" The Doctor finished her sentence for her. 

Robyn looked at her. Tears still gleaming in her eyes.

"Why is that so wrong?" The Doctor continued.

"It's... It's not... well it is... to most people..." 

"But not to you?"

"I... I have to face the consequences Doctor"

"Consequences?"

"Consequences of my actions... consequences of the upset i caused Sarah... consequences of... falling in love"

The Doctor looked at her in disbelief.. she couldn't believe that this amazing young woman had been made to believe that something so beautiful deserved punishment and that she herself deserved so much suffering.

"They attack me... to remind me... this evening.. at the fireworks display.. I..." Robyn closed her eyes and let out a big sigh, before she continued. "... I noticed a beautiful woman.. it must've been noticeable that i found her so beautiful because when i went to the restroom.. they were waiting for me... they grabbed me and placed me in the car and drove me to the alley.. they remind me that what i do is wrong... what i think is wrong... what.. what i am.. is wrong" Robyn looked down at her hands.. taking in the sight of the amount bandages wrapped around her body.. 'How can i hide this from my family this time.. theres too much' Robyn thought. She sighed in exhaustion. The Doctor grabbed Robyn's hands. 

"Robyn... listen to me... you did nothing wrong that evening... i understand a lot of people are still very close minded... but you both fell in love with each other... and thats beautiful... in another time.. you both could've been in love without the terror of being found out and punished... no one should've taken that away from you both... from you... you deserve happiness Robyn.. this world has shown you so much darkness that you've forgotten the light...let me show you.." 

Robyn looked at The Doctor with wonder. 

"... let me show you the light again"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kind comments on the story so far!<3
> 
> For all you thirsty thassies that have stuck through all of this slow burning... you will be rewarded sooooon.. hang in there ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter coming soon ;)


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